


if things were different

by fanfoolishness (LoonyLupin), LoonyLupin



Series: The Outer Rim [18]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Conversations, Duty, Family Bonding, Gen, Mandalorian Culture (Star Wars), Planet Nevarro (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28492812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/fanfoolishness, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/LoonyLupin
Summary: Greef Karga and Din Djarin take a moment to catch up before the events of The Siege.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Greef Karga, Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda
Series: The Outer Rim [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055645
Comments: 13
Kudos: 132





	if things were different

Greef Karga leaned back in the booth, taking a drink of Chandrilan golden ale. “I’d offer to buy you a pint, but…” he said, gesturing to the helmet of the Mandalorian seated across from him. The idea that the Mandalorian -- _this_ Mandalorian, anyway -- would take off his helmet for something as trivial as a drink was laughable.

Din Djarin merely inclined his helmet slightly to the side, a faint nod. Ah. There he was, just like old times, ever the conversationalist.

“So how are you and the kid getting on?” Greef asked. “It looks like the little guy fit right in at the school.”

“You and Cara Dune are doing good things here,” said Djarin. “If things hadn’t gone down with the Guild the way they did when I took the kid, we might stay longer. The city looks good.”

“You know I’ve called off the Guild --” Greef started mildly. 

Djarin held up a hand. “It’s not Guild members I’m worried about. It’s people who might listen to what they have to say. I’ve been to more than one planet in the past few months that seemed to know all about me and the kid. We don’t need that kind of reputation.”

Greef raised an eyebrow. _**We,**_ _huh?_ “Any luck on your travels with him? You’re still trying to reunite him with his people?”

“The Jedi,” Djarin said, folding his arms over his chest. He was quiet for a moment. “I’ve got a lead. There may be one on our next stop, if the _Crest_ can make it there.”

“We’ll see to that,” Greef promised. He took another sip of his ale, frowning. “What happens when you find one?”

A slight shift of the helmet. “If I find one… they’ll take him. He needs training. You know what he can do.”

Greef thought back to the poison roaring in his bloodstream, the bitter wounds in his arm after the night attack in the lava fields, the Child’s large eyes liquid in the dim firelight. “I know. Those powers are something else.” Greef pursed his lips. “I guess you’re right. It’s not something we cover in our little school here, that’s for sure. But what will you do then?”

“What do you mean? I’ll have completed my task,” said Djarin, and there was something icy and final in the vocoded voice.

“You and I both know he’s more to you than that, Mando,” said Greef gently, considering how the Mandalorian strode through town today, the baby carried in his arm like he’d been there all his life. The mudhorn skull on Djarin’s armor gleamed. “He’s your -- your clan now, right?”

“Yes,” said Djarin, helmet tilting as if to look at the signet. “Caring for foundlings is part of my Creed. I am charged to treat him as my own… until he can return to the Jedi.”

“How do you do it, man? I see the way you care for him. Come on. Letting him go, that’s…” _It’ll tear you apart._ “Gonna be hard,” said Greef. 

Djarin was very still, and Greef recognized the tension held in the other man’s body, the stiffening of the shoulders, the subtle change in the way the head was held. _Too far, old fool. Maybe it’s best to let sleeping rancors lie._

“This is the Way,” said the Mandalorian finally.

“It just… it seems a shame,” said Greef despite himself. He took another drink of ale, shaking his head. “What if things were different? Would the Creed let him stay with you? I thought you were a foundling yourself.”

“If things were different, if it were not for his powers…” Djarin’s voice trailed off. “Then the Creed would demand I raise him as a Mandalorian. As they did for me.”

For a moment, Greef nearly chuckled at the idea of the little green youngling clad in beskar. How would that even work, with the ears? But he didn’t laugh. He saw beskar helmets piled high in the sewers, Djarin sinking to his knees. He heard it in Djarin’s voice now, the wound already cutting deep. 

He’d heard that same wound too many times in the voices of people in this city, something he and Cara were trying damn hard to change. They were doing what they could. Perhaps it would be enough.

“I’m sorry it’s not different, Mando.”

The Mandalorian was silent.

“You really are a man of honor, you know,” said Greef. “And that’s a rare commodity in this galaxy.” He finished his drink. “I know I keep saying it, but I keep meaning it. You ever need a base of operations, come back to Nevarro. We’ll treat you right.”

“Thank you,” Djarin said, helmet inclined so that his gaze looked somewhere beyond Greef. “I’ll keep that under advisement. Now… tell me about this problem you’re having here.”

Greef nodded. Well, it was more of a conversation than he’d ever managed with Djarin before. Maybe he’d get him to stick around yet. 

Maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> For anonymous on tumblr who requested Greef & Din discussing the Creed. I made myself sad :(


End file.
